Businesses at Philadelphia International Airport seeking workers

NORTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- More than 600 jobs at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) are up for grabs.

On Tuesday, dozens of employers offering those jobs were at Temple University looking for qualified employees to hire.

RELATED: See current job listings at PHL

The lines were out the door and around the block for the job fair at the Liacouras Center in North Philadelphia.

"I got here at 6 o'clock this morning," said Maybelle Edwards of West Oak Lane. "I was the first person here."

Three dozen employers had booths staffed with employment recruiters.

Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke is a co-sponsor of the fair.

"There is significant turnout, as you can see - literally thousands of people coming out who are either unemployed or under-employed," said Clarke. "We think these opportunities presented today are pretty good."

The employers included government agencies, like the Philadelphia Police Department, the Philadelphia Fire Department and the TSA as well as private firms with connections to the airport - from the airlines to retailers to the folks who de-ice aircraft.

The hope for those behind all the tables was to fill as many as 600 vacancies. The hope of those in front of the tables was to be one of the chosen.

"I need a change," said Thomas Walker of Southwest Philadelphia. "I'm trying to get down back to the airport - I used to work there previously - whether it's dealing with the airplanes or inside the terminal or whatever. Just looking for something different."

The job fair was scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Liacouras Center.

Current job openings at the airport can be found any time by visiting the PHL job portal.